Motion picture theater



July 31, 1945. 1- GRAY MOTION PICTURE THEATER Filed April 27, 1943 0 H h" h flw NN n l Q" W Qfil UN N -w 8. an WW .QN. N

THOMA$ 6; 6/?45 Patented July 31, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTION mc'ruaa 'rnm'rna Thomas Curtis Gray, Washington, 1:. c. Application April 2-2, 194:, sci-nu No. 434,153

(Cl. sis-24) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful auditorlum or theater whereby the comfort of the theater patrons is particularly taken into consideration.

An object of the invention is to provide a theater wherein a comparatively large number of persons may be assembled to witness the picture, and where the projection distance from the projection machine to the screen has been reduced to a minimum.

A further object 01 the invention is to provide an auditorium with means projecting a picture on a screen located above the heads of the patrons whereby the patrons may view the picture in a lying-down or reclining position.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a motion picture auditorium which is particularly adaptecl'for air conditioning of the interior thereof, and, in which there are no balconies, the smaller space due to the elimination of such balconies, providing fewer cubic feet of air space to be air conditioned.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken along a line substantially lengthwise of the theater and medially thereof.

Figure 2 is a view at the chairs in unoccupied position in full lines and showing in dotted lines tlliedposition the chairs will assume when occup e Provision of chairs which support patrons in upright position has been found to cause considerable discomfort in motion picture theaters because of the fact that those viewing the pictures must sit in the same position for a period of be tween two and four hours. Such a, position is not comfortable for any great lengtifo; time because it does not permit relaxation of the muscles which must hold the trunk of the body in an upright position during the entire time of viewing the picture. The present invention does away with such inconvenience by providing an auditorium which is especially adapted to permit the patrons to view the picture when in a reclining position.

In the drawing the numerals i and 2 indicate slanting walls of the theater and 3 indicates the roof of the theater. The main floor I f the theater is substantially horizontal except for the inclined portion 5 and the stepped portion 6.

The numeral I indicates a pit in which is located projection apparatus (not shown). Rays from the projecting apparatus indicated at 8 are projected by the reflector 9 which projected rays III are cast upwardly onto the screen i l whichlatter forms the bottom portion of a housing I 2 in which the sound equipment (not shown) is located.

It will be noted that the screen is inclined at an angle from the horizontal in order that the picture may be seen by the patrons substantially directly underneath, as well as by those which are located in the main portion of the auditorium, i. e., on the reclining chairs I! that are supported by the substantially horizontal floor 4.

The chairs it are supportedon the inclined floor 5 while the chairs I! are supported on the stepped portion.

The" above-described arrangement of floor portions and chairs provides the maximum use of space in an arrangement whereby the patrons view the picture in a reclined and relaxed position. I

By reference to Figure 2 it will be noted that each chair, such as II, is located in such a position with reference to the chair behind it, that when the back it which is pivoted at H is moved to the dotted line position by the occupant thereof, the top portion ll slightly overlaps the forward portion ll of the chair seat in back of the first mentioned chair.

Means is provided for limiting the amount of rearward swinging movement of each back It. This means may include the rod 20 which is pivoted at II to the chair. The upper end of each rod 20 slidably engages the slot 22 in the chair back. The limit of movement oi each chair back is regulated by the length of the slot; and by reference to Figure 1 it will be noted that the chair of the row which is located to the right of the guard rail 23 is provided with a slot which will allow it to move rearward a substantial distance as indicated in the dotted line. Each succeeding chair of each row is provided witha slot of slightly less length as will be noted irom an inspection of Figure 2, in order that the occupants of each row of chairs-from the pit toward the right are in a slightly less reclined position, which is the position which will enable the occupants of each chair to have the best viewpoint from which to view the picture which is projected on the screen 11.

bccupants of chairs l5, which rest on the stepped floor 6 are permitted, because 01 the length of the slot 22, to move the backs it from substantially vertical position to almost a horiaontal position which is the position in which all of them may most conveniently view the pictures presented on the screen ii, i. e., all occupants of chairs numbered l5.

rays may be proiected as indicated at it. It is alsotobennderstoodthatthescreenmaybe of any suitable type. i. e. it may be of opaque material or, the pit I may be done away with, and a translucent screen provided, in which case the projection machine may be located within the housing l2. This latter arrangement will provide additional space between guard rails II and 2! for location 01' additional seats (not shown).

I prefer, although it is by no means essential, that each chair back be provided with a spring to maintain it in the position shown in full lines so that each seat will automatically assume that position when unocciniied.

The angle of vision oi the patrons who view the picture varies from approximately 105 at Accordingly the slots 12 in the seats I! will permit the backs to move to a position which is substantiallyhorizontal, and seats to the right of rail 28 will vary from an angle with the vertical which passes through the pivots Il --01 chairs II from a position of about 84 to about 27 at the rearmost' row of seats.

It will be \mderstood that each of the chairs indicawd in Fig. 2 indicates a row of chairs. Therefore the rearmost row of chairs will permit the back to move backward only 2'? from a vertical line passing through the pivot of the backs of said chair and each succeeding row from right to left will permit of a progressively Y greater movement of the backs of the chairs 0! said row. The amount of movement permitted the backs of each row of chairs II and I4 will be such that the back of any given chair will be approximately perpendicular to a line from thatchairtothe centeroi'thescreen.

when a patron after having viewed the picture in a reclined position, and occupying a position away from the aisle, wishes to leave the theater it will be necessary for those occupants of the reclining seats. in the row in front of him to sit up, or partially sit up in their chairs so as to allow him to make his way to the aisle. It will be noted, however, that this will only cause a temporary disturbance of those patrons who must assume a near upright position. I

On the other hand such a person leaving his seat will obstruct to a very minor extent, it at all, the view of other patrons in the theater located to'the rear of his seat. This is a material improvement over the seating arrangements of theaters in present day use, particularly moving picture theaters where patrons are continually occupying and leaving seats during the projection of a picture on the screen. In the theaters now in use when a person stands up the view of all those to the rear of such person is obstructed to a greater or less extent because of the fact that the screen is located in front of patrons and not above them as in the present invention.

The, floor 4 is substantially horizontal and need not slope toward the front as in the presout day construction of moving picture theaters.

Thisisagreatadvantageandresultsinasubstantial savings in constructing a theater. The floorportionlisshownasoonsistingofaplurality or steps. While this is a preferred consmictionIdonotwishtobelimitedtothis stepped construction as the floor may be on a gradual incline or slope, as in present day theaters. The inclination of the floor 8 issubstantially 14 from the horizontal. The reason for this inclination is, to permit the back oi each chair when in a horizontal or substantially horizontal position to extend slightly over the seat of the chair behind it, thus conserving space. The chairs II, which are supported by floor l are so positioned that it is unnecessary to provide'a sloping floor because the back of each chair will be considerably above the seat of the chair behind it. Nevertheless it will be necessary to provide a minimum distance between the rows of seats on the floor l in order that there will be sumcient room for patrons to enter and leave their seats.

An advantage 01' this invention is that the pro jector will be located a distance from the screen which is. considerably less than the distance between the preiector and screen in present day theaters. thus making a clearer and a brighter picture projection on the screen.

A further paramount advantage of this invention isthat the sound projection apparatus located in the housing I! is more nearly the same distanceirom theflrstrowandtherearrow than in present day theaters. In other words the location of the screen and projection apparatus, as located in Figure 1. places boththe picture and thesound eilfects in a more advantageous'position relative to the patrons occupying the seats than in the case 01' present day motion picture theaters, where those in the front oi the theater are entirely too close both for sound eiiects and for picture viewing, and those in the rear of the theater are too far away. In the present device, while those in the rear of the theater are not as close as those in the center of the theater to the picture or sound projection apparatus, the distance of both sound and picture is very much nearer an even distance from all patrons than is thecaseinthepresentdaymotionpicture theaters.-

Anysuitablemeansmaybeusedtobraoothe chairbackswheninuse. Buchchairhach II in the front portion of the theater could be supported (notshown) onthearmrestsotthechair immediately behind the same.

It will beunderstood that the invention is capahis or such modifications and changes as may come within the scope or this invention as out lined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture theater in combination, an auditorium having a iioor and rows of seats on said floor, said seats having pivoted back portions, means limiting rearward movement of each pivoted back portion progressively from the center of the auditorium to the rear thereof, a flat screen located in a substantially horizontal plane mounted above said seats whereby said screen may be viewed by occupants of said seats when in a reclined position, the plane of said screen being inclined to the plane of said floor at an angle less than a right angle, the inclination of each row of seats relative to the center line 0! the of seats.

tion of each row of seats relative to the center line 01' the screen being normal to the line of vision of the occupants of each row of seats.

3. In a motion picture theater in combination, an auditorium, said auditorium having a substantially horizontal floor space, a plurality of seats mounted on said floor smce, each seat having a pivoted back, means on each seat for permitting the back thereof to move toward a horizontal position. means on each seat for progressively limiting the movement oi said seat in its movement position in a progressively less amount from front to back of said auditorium, and a flat screen located in a substantially horizontal plane located adjacent the top of said auditorium, the plane of said screen and the plane of said floor space being angularly arranged with relation to each other, the said planes forming an angle less than a right angle, the inclination of each row of seats relative to the center line of the screen being normal to the line of vision of the occupants of each row of seats.

4. In a motion picture theater in combination, an auditorium, said auditorium torium, said screen being of approximately 25 from ing through the center thereof, the plane of said screen and the plane of said floor space being angularly arranged with relation to each other, the said planes to an angle less than a right angle, the inclination of each row of seats relative to the center line of the screen being normal to the line of vision of the occupants of each row of seats.

5. In a motion picture an auditorium portion of said auditorium, means pivoting the backs of said seats of each grou and means progressively limiting the inclination from front to rear of the seats of one of said groups, the inclination of each row of seats relative to the center line of the screen being normal to the line of vision of the occupants of each row of seats.

6. In a motion picture theater in combination,

seat rows, approximately 25 through the center of said screen said screen being located adjacent the upper portion or said auditorium, means pivoting the backs of said seats of each group, and means progressively limiting the inclination from front to rear of the seats of one of said groups, in order to maintain the plane THOMAS CURTIS GRAY. 

